Heat-exchange structure for water cooling device

ABSTRACT

A heat-exchange structure for water cooling device includes a main body and a first thermoelectric cooling chip. The main body internally defines at least one first space communicably connected to at least one first port and at least one second port; and the first space has a first open side and allows a cooling fluid to flow therethrough. The first thermoelectric cooling chip has a first cold side and a first hot side, and is connected to the main body with the first cold side facing toward and closing the first open side of the main body. The cooling fluid in the first space of the main body is directly cooled by the first thermoelectric cooling chip, so that the cooling fluid of the water cooling device can be cooled at a further upgraded cooling efficiency.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device, and more particularly, to a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device that uses a thermoelectric cooling chip as an active cooling interface to cool a heat source.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional water cooling devices or thermal modules for removing heat from a heat source usually include one or more heat dissipation units, which can be heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes and the like. Vapor chambers and heat pipes made of copper, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium or other alloys are mainly used to absorb, transfer and conduct heat.

A water cooling device usually includes a structure that dissipates heat produced by the heat source through water cooling. More specifically, the water cooling device is provided at a bottom with a thermal-conductive bottom plate made of a metal material with good thermal conductivity, such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, titanium and other alloys. The thermal-conductive bottom plate has one side in direct contact with the heat source and another side formed with a plurality of fins or pin fins to provide increased heat dissipating areas. The side of the thermal-conductive bottom plate with fins or pin fins is connected to a main body having a water chamber filled with a cooling fluid, so that the water chamber with the cooling fluid provides a heat dissipation effect on the thermal-conductive bottom plate.

The cooling fluid circulates in the water cooling type water cooling device to cool and carry away the heat absorbed by the thermal-conductive bottom plate. The heat-carrying cooling fluid is guided to an external water tank unit for cooling and then circulates to the main body to start another cycle of heat exchange to achieve the heat dissipation effect. However, when the heat produced by the heat source is so high that the cooling fluid of the water cooling device having exchanged heat with the heat source and guided to the external water tank unit is not sufficiently cooled in the external water tank unit before being guided into the main body for another cycle of heat exchange, the water cooling device might fail to completely cool the heat source. While the water cooling type water cooling device provides improved heat dissipation effect than the air cooling type water cooling device, the cooling fluid performing the heat exchange is subjected to the possibility of not being sufficiently cooled in the external water tank unit. In this case, the water cooling device won't be able to effectively achieve its function of cooling the heat source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art water cooling devices and thermal modules by providing a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device that can cool the cooling fluid of the water cooling device at a largely upgraded cooling efficiency.

To achieve the above and other objects, the heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to the present invention includes a main body and a first thermoelectric cooling chip.

The main body internally defines at least one first space communicably connected to at least one first port and at least one second port; and the first space has a first open side and allows a cooling fluid to flow therethrough. The first thermoelectric cooling chip has a first cold side and a first hot side, and is connected to the main body with the first cold side facing toward and closing the first open side of the main body.

In the present invention, the first thermoelectric cooling chip is directly connected to the main body, i.e. a water tank unit, for cooling the cooling fluid. The cooling fluid in the water tank unit is directly cooled by the first cold side of the first thermoelectric cooling chip, so that a cooling efficiency better than that of air cooling can be achieved to provide improved cooling performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded sectional view of the heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded sectional view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with some preferred embodiments thereof and by referring to the accompanying drawings. For the purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, which are exploded perspective and sectional views, respectively, of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the heat-exchange structure for water cooling device, generally denoted by reference numeral 1 herein, in the first embodiment includes a main body 11 and a first thermoelectric cooling chip (thermoelectric module; Peltier cooler; Peltier cell; heat pump) 12.

The main body 11 internally defines at least one first space 111 communicably connected to at least one first port 112 and at least one second port 113. The first space 111 has a first open side 114 and allows a cooling fluid 2 to flow therethrough.

The first thermoelectric cooling chip 12 has a first cold side 121 and a first hot side 122.

The first thermoelectric cooling chip 12 is connected to the main body 11 with the first cold side 121 facing toward and closing the first open side 114 of the main body 11.

A plurality of partitioning members 115 is set up in the first space 111 to define a plurality of mutually communicable water passages 116 in the first space 111. The water passages 116 are communicably connected to the first port 112 and the second port 113.

In the first embodiment, the main body 11 is a water tank unit of the water cooling device mainly used to receive an amount of cooling fluid 2 therein. In the first embodiment, the present invention also includes a first tube 3, a second tube 4, a third tube 5, a pump 6 and a water block 7. The main body 11 is connected to the pump 6 and the water block 7 via the first tube 3 and the second tube 4, respectively. The third tube 5 is connected to between the pump 6 and the water block 7.

On the first cold side 121 of the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12, there is a plurality of first projected members 121 a extended therefrom. The first projected members 121 a can be fins or pin fins. The first projected members 121 a provide increased contact surfaces between the cooling fluid 2 and the first cold side 121 to enable upgraded cooling efficiency of the thermoelectric cooling chip 12.

The following is a description of the working state of the water cooling device with the heat-exchange structure 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. When using the water cooling device to remove heat produced by a heat source 8, first attach the water block 7 directly to the heat source 8, and the heat produced by the heat source 8 is absorbed by the water block 7. The cooling fluid 2 flowing through the water block 7 carries away the heat absorbed by the water block 7 and flows into the water tank unit (i.e. the main body 11) via the second tube 4. In the main body 11, the cooling fluid 2 carrying the heat is cooled. Since the first cold side 121 of the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12 is in direct contact with the first space 111 of the main body 11, the cooling fluid 2 flowing through the main body 11 is directly cooled by the first cold side 121 of the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12. Then, the cooled cooling fluid 2 flows to the pump 6 via the first tube 3 and is further delivered by the pump 6 back to the water block 7 via the third tube 5 to start another cooling circulation. With these arrangements, the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12 provides low temperature to directly cool the cooling fluid 2 in the main body 11 at a better cooling efficiency compared to the conventional air-cooling type water tank unit.

Please refer to FIG. 3 that is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment but includes a main body 11 having a first space 111 internally provided with a plurality of first longitudinal water passages 111 a, a plurality of second longitudinal water passages 111 b, a first transverse water passage 111 c, a second transverse water passage 111 d, a third transverse water passage 111 e, a fourth transverse water passage 111 f, a central transit zone 111 g, a first water reservoir 111 h, and a second water reservoir 111 i. The structures of the second embodiment that are the same as those in the first embodiment are not repeatedly described herein.

The first longitudinal water passages 111 a are respectively connected at an end to the first or the second transverse water passage 111 c, 111 d and at another end to the first water reservoir 111 h. The second longitudinal water passages 111 b are respectively connected at an end to the third or the fourth transverse water passage 111 e, 111 f and at another end to the second water reservoir 111 i. The first, second, third and fourth transverse water passages 111 c, 111 d, 111 e, 111 f are communicably connected to the central transit zone 111 f; the first port 112 is communicably connected to the first water reservoir 111 h; the second port 113 is communicably connected to the second water reservoir 111 i; and the central transit zone 111 g has a pump 6 provided therein.

The central transit zone 111 g is formed with a plurality of first apertures 111 j and a plurality of second apertures 111 k. The first apertures 111 j are communicable with the first and the second transverse water passage 111 c, 111 d, and the second apertures 111 k are communicable with the third and the fourth transverse water passage 111 e, 111 f.

In the second embodiment, the main body 11 is a water tank unit mainly used to receive an amount of cooling fluid 2 therein. The cooling fluid 2 flows through the first port 112 into the first water reservoir 111 h of the main body 11 and then flows through the first longitudinal water passages 111 a, which are communicable with the first water reservoir 111 h, toward the first and the second transverse water passage 111 c, 111 d. Streams of the cooling fluid 2 flowing through the first longitudinal water passages 111 a converge at the first and the second transverse water passage 111 c, 111 d and are delivered to the central transit zone 111 g. The pump 6 in the central transit zone 111 g drives the cooling fluid 2 to flow through the third and the fourth transverse water passage 111 e, 111 f into the second longitudinal water passages 111 b. The cooling fluid 2 is guided by the second longitudinal water passages 111 b into the second water reservoir 111 i. Since the first open side 114 of the first space 111 is faced toward and closed by the first cold side 121 of the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12 (referring to FIG. 1), the cooling fluid 2 in the main body 11 is directly cooled by the first cold side 121 at a better cooling efficiency compared to the conventional air-cooling type water tank unit.

Please refer to FIG. 4 that is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the third embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment but further includes a plurality of first radiating fins 122 a extended from the first hot side 122 of the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12. The structures of the third embodiment that are the same as those in the first embodiment are not repeatedly described herein. The first radiating fins 122 a extended from the first hot side 122 are mainly used to give the first thermoelectric cooling chip 12 an upgraded heat-dissipation performance. Further, a cooling fan (not shown) can be connected to the first radiating fins 122 a face to face, so as to create a forced heat dissipation effect on the first radiating fins 122 a.

Please refer to FIG. 5 that is an exploded perspective view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the fourth embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment but further includes a pump 6 arranged in the first space 111. The structures of the fourth embodiment that are the same as those in the first embodiment are not repeatedly described herein. In the fourth embodiment, the first space 111 is also internally formed with guiding water passages 111 m for the cooling fluid 2 to more smoothly flow through the first space 111. The pump 6 in the first space 111 automatically guides the cooling fluid 2 through the main body 11. In this case, it is not necessary to externally connect the main body 11 to another pump.

FIG. 6 is an exploded sectional view of a heat-exchange structure for water cooling device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the fifth embodiment is generally structurally similar to the first embodiment but further includes a second thermoelectric cooling chip (thermoelectric module; Peltier cooler; Peltier cell; heat pump) 13 and the main body 11 further includes a second open side 115. The structures of the fifth embodiment that are the same as those in the first embodiment are not repeatedly described herein. The second thermoelectric cooling chip 13 has a second cold side 131 and a second hot side 132. The second open side 115 of the main body 11 is located opposite to the first open side 114, and is correspondingly closed by the second cold side 131 of the second thermoelectric cooling chip 13.

Further, a plurality of second projected member 131 a is extended from the second cold side 131 of the second thermoelectric cooling chip 13, and a plurality of second radiating fins 132 a is extended from the second hot side 132 of the second thermoelectric cooling chip 13. The second projected members 131 a can be fins or pin fins.

The present invention is characterized by directly connecting the cold side of the thermoelectric cooling chip to the open side of the main body (i.e. the water tank unit) that has the cooling fluid received therein, so that the cold side of the thermoelectric cooling chip provides low temperature to directly cool the cooling fluid. That is, the cooling fluid in the main body is directly cooled by the cold side of the thermoelectric cooling chip at a better cooling efficiency compared to the conventional water tank unit that cools the cooling fluid only by fluid circulation, heat diffusion and heat dissipation. Therefore, the present invention effectively increases the overall heat dissipation performance of the water-cooling device.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat-exchange structure for water cooling device, comprising: a main body internally defining at least one first space communicably connected to at least one first port and at least one second port; and the first space having a first open side and allowing a cooling fluid to flow therethrough; and a first thermoelectric cooling chip having a first cold side and a first hot side; and the first thermoelectric cooling chip being connected to the main body with the first cold side facing toward and closing the first open side of the main body.
 2. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first space of the main body is internally provided with a plurality of first longitudinal water passages, a plurality of second longitudinal water passages, a first transverse water passage, a second transverse water passage, a third transverse water passage, a fourth transverse water passage, a central transit zone, a first water reservoir and a second water reservoir; the first longitudinal water passages being respectively connected at an end to the first or the second transverse water passage and at another end to the first water reservoir, the second longitudinal water passages being respectively connected at an end to the third or the fourth transverse water passage and at another end to the second water reservoir, the first, second, third and fourth transverse water passages being communicably connected to the central transit zone, the first port being communicably connected to the first water reservoir, the second port being communicably connected to the second water reservoir, and the central transit zone having a pump provided therein; further, the central transit zone being formed with a plurality of first apertures and a plurality of second apertures; the first apertures being communicable with the first and the second transverse water passage, and the second apertures being communicable with the third and the fourth transverse water passage.
 3. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first tube, a second tube, a third tube, a pump and a water block; the main body being connected to the pump and the water block via the first tube and the second tube, respectively; and the third tube being connected to between the pump and the water block.
 4. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first hot side of the first thermoelectric cooling chip has a plurality of first radiating fins extended therefrom.
 5. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first space is internally provided with a plurality of partitioning members to define a plurality of mutually communicable water passages in the first space; and the water passages being communicably connected to the first port and the second port.
 6. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the central transit zone is formed with a plurality of first apertures and a plurality of second apertures; the first apertures being communicable with the first and the second transverse water passage, and the second apertures being communicable with the third and the fourth transverse water passage.
 7. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first space has a pump arranged therein.
 8. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a second thermoelectric cooling chip and wherein the main body further includes a second open side located opposite to the first open side; the second thermoelectric cooling chip having a second cold side and a second hot side, and the second open side of the main body being correspondingly closed by the second cold side of the second thermoelectric cooling chip.
 9. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first cold side of the first thermoelectric cooling chip has a plurality of first projected members extended therefrom; and the first projected member being selected from the group consisting of fins and pin fins.
 10. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second cold side of the second thermoelectric cooling chip has a plurality of second projected members extended therefrom; and the second projected member being selected from the group consisting of fins and pin fins.
 11. The heat-exchange structure for water cooling device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second hot side of the second thermoelectric cooling chip has a plurality of second radiating fins extended therefrom. 